Legging



U. S. DE MO ULIN.

LEGGING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, I918.

RENEWED AP R. 2 I920.

Patented June 1, 1920.

ULYSSES S. DE MOULIN, OF GREENVILLE, ILLINOIS.

LEGGING.

Application filed May 14, 1918, Serial No. 234,434. Renewed April 2, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ULYSSES S. Dn MoULIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Bond and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Legging, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to leggings of that type in which a single cord is used for fastening the legging 1n posltion on the wearer although it is to be understood that the 111- vention is equally as well adapted to be used in any form of legging using eyelets for receiving one or more cords or laces. It has been the practice heretofore to form the eye lets in the steel ribs housed in the legging but this has been objectionable because it has necessitated the formation of openings in the ribs which have weakened them to such an extent that they break readily. It has not been practical to secure the eyelets 1n the fabric only because they will, under these conditions, pull out of the legging. It is an object of the Present invention to ovcrcome all of the objections above by arranging the eyelets in a novel manner so that they will not pull out of the legglng and so that it becomes unnecessary to perforate and thereby weaken the steel ribs.

With the foregoing and other ob ects 1n View the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that various changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sz-icriiici'ng any of the advantages of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings F igure l is a side elevation of a legging embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View partly in elevation and partly in section of the rib forming a part .of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a section through a portion of a modified form of structure.

Referring to the figures by characters of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

Serial No. 370,897.

reference, 1 designates a legging of the usual construction and configuration, there being a casing 2 along each side edge thereof for the reception of a rib 3 of novel form. As shown in Fig. 3 this rib comprises two parallel strips of steel or the like indicated at e and which are relatively narrow. The strips are spaced apart and are held within a fabric covering 5 which is fitted snugly therearound. This covering can be secured between and to the strips 4; by an adhesive or can be stitched to hold the strips spaced apart. Apertures 6 are formed in the covering 5 between the strips 4 and these apertures are adapted to receive the eyelets 7 and 8 which are inserted through the casings 2 in which the ribs 3 are located. The

external diameter of the shank portions of the eyelets is equal to the distance between the strips in the rib. Thus while the strips will fit snugly against opposed portions of the eyelets the upset ends of the eyelets will lap the strips and prevent the eyelets from being pulled out of the legging. These upset ends have been shown at 9. As the steel strips 4 are not perforated they are of uniform strength throughout their lengths and will not break readily.

While the present improvements are especially designed for use in connection with leggings, it is to be understood that they can also be used on other garments where eyelets are employed.

To prevent the steel strips from biting into the shoes of the wearer, the lower ends of the strips are preferably bent outwardly.

Instead of arranging the strips of steel within a fabric covering 5, as hereinbefore described, they can be arranged within casings 10 formed by inturning the longitudinal edges of a fabric strip 11 and then sewing the strip to the legging by parallel rows of stitches extending through the casings at the sides of the strips 12 therein. The space between each pair of casings will be sufficient to receive an eyelet, or the like as hereinbefore described.

By having the metal strips in a cloth covering, any rust which may form on the strips will not show through the 1egging.

Furthermore by 'so arranging the metal strips the manufacture of the legging is cheapened and facilitated because it is unnecessary to punch holes in the metal strips and the eyeleting machine can readily be punched through the cloth between the metal strips to fix the eyelet in place.

The term eyelet as used in the specification and claims is not to be construed in its limited sense but is intended to be broad enough to cover an eyelet per 86, a stud, a rivet, a hook, or any other form of fastening device that might be used in an article of this character.

That is claimed is 1. A stiffening rib for garments including spaced spring strips, and a fabric covering extending around and between the strips, there being eyelet receiving openings in the covering between the strips and of a diameter substantially equal to the distance between said strips.

2. The combination with a garment having a casing, of a stiffening rib secured in the casing and including parallel spaced spring strips and a fabric covering extending around the strips and having opposed portions secured together between said strips, and an eyelet extending through the casing and covering between the strips and having enlarged end portions lapping the strips. 7

3. In a legging, a body of flexible material and open at one side to form overlapping side flaps each having a pocket throughout its length, a pair of fiat stiffening bands in the pocket of each flap, the stifiening bands being spaced apart, and lace receiving members secured to the said flaps and having shanks extending between the opposite edges of the stiffening bands in the corresponding pockets of a flap and provided with flanges lying on opposite sides of the stiffening bands, whereby the stiffening bands will be paced apart and the lace receiving members securely fastened in place.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ULYSSES S. DE MOULIN.

\Vitnesses H. C. DIEHL, G. C. STEFFEY. 

